Since we got this puppy we’ve had the kennel in our bedroom but now it is time for the dog to find its own place in the house. We settled on a place in the living room. I went back and forth on it and kept worrying over whether it was the right decision. It dawned on me that we might have to try a few different spots to see which one works best for all of us. This wasn’t a big deal at all, more of a trial and error. It’s not a major decision by any means. It was easily changeable. We were not altering any walls or furniture, nothing permanent was being done.
This was a classic case of overthinking. There are so many times have I done this before. It can become paralyzing resulting in a no decision. All because we can be so afraid of making a mistake or being judged by the choices we’ve made. To fight this I’ve created mental financial categories to make decisions and everything else I make decisions by the perceived risk.
Create a Risk Tolerance
Any decision that costs less than $100 shouldn’t be given much thought. We just had to buy another vacuum cleaner recently. In the nearly twenty years of marriage we’ve bought expensive ones and cheap ones they all have been about the same. My wife found one she thought was a good deal after a short search and it was less than $100.
Bam! Buy it!
Done. What’s next?
Don’t stress over the small decisions that don’t have a lot of risk. Now this $100 is completely arbitrary and should be based on your own personal financial situation. Additionally, it is not free reign to go berserk on one hundred under $100 purchases.
The point is not to be paralyzed by these small decisions. The risk is small. If the vacuum cleaner stops working, who cares? Nothing is made to last anymore. My wife is always asking me to help with these types of decisions, my first question is typically asking what it costs. If it meets that criteria, I make the decision quickly and move along. I realize this can be uncomfortable for her, as she sports her water bottle with the sticker ” Pardon Me, I’m just Overthinking”. Our time, my time is worth more than worrying about those small decisions. The larger the decision, the more time needed to make it. Think cars, vacations, buying a home, and getting a new puppy. (Didn’t think that through!) These have more risks to them, and big consequences that do affect our lives.
Give these decisions at least a night. Better yet, make a plan or a budget for the financial ones.
Sleep on It
Last spring my wife started to show me new cars for sale. We are both driving older cars but nothing mechanically wrong with them, just experiencing a bit of FOMO. But it really started to get me interested, I started doing my own research and was reaching out to dealers and running some numbers. That determination was short-lived, after sleeping on it for a night or two, reality started to set in. It did not make financial sense, there was no need to get a new car other than to scratch that itch. What we did do though was start putting some money to the side for a new car should one be needed in the near future. A few months later we ended up needing to get the new car but we now had the extra funds to help reduce the burden of any car payment.
In short, don’t waste your precious time worrying and fretting over small decisions. Decide what those look like in your life. These may not always be financial. It could be simple ones that seem to come up all the time like where to eat tonight, what to wear tomorrow, and what show to watch this evening.
Just pick something!
It can really blow some people’s minds when I do this. It can be unnerving for many to make decisions quickly. However, I do sometimes make big decisions too fast as well. But these decisions I mentioned above don’t all that matter.
You might be pleasantly surprised by what you discover.
I guarantee you will try something new to eat and like it but you will also find plenty that you don’t like. You’ll discover a new book genre, and a new Netflix series that you can share at work, and you’ll be less anxious.
Find your risk tolerance, keep an open mind, and try it for a few weeks.